Oconee.....the Southern Half????

was just curious, I see a lot of info about crappie fishing on oconee, but a lot of it seems to be geared toward the upper end....I'm new to this whole crappie fishing thing, bass fished for years, and when we fished for bass in the spring we hated mid lake up because of the dreaded crappie fishermen, so we always opted to stay south, primarily in the Richland Creek area, dont get me wrong, there were plenty of people fishing for crappie there also, but just not like mid lake and up.....is there a reason for that????

I personally do not like being in crowds, and after some of the things I seen this past weekend on Sinclair with regards to rude behavior, I realized that "googans" aren't limited to bass fishermen on Georgia waters.....coming off plane and coming to rest 25 or 30 yards in front of someone that is already set up and trolling seems so far past unsportsmanlike that I am automatically compelled to ask if your a "special kind of stupid"....Then I must also take the time to explain to my 11 year old son why what the person had done was disrespectful ....and it happened often enough that you thought the State was about to shut down the crappie season like the red snapper season in Florida....

but back to my original point, is the Richland creek branch a good place to try and fish for crappie( and big slab crappie)??? I am still in my low and slow learning stage of spider rigging, and I don't really want to get into a train of other boats, just looking to get off the beaten path, get set up and start experimenting some more.....but if its mid lake or north where the big slabs are right now, I will go that route, but I now the south end very well.

Not asking for spots or honey holes, I understand that those are as guarded as off shore reef numbers....just some input on why it seems as if its the upper end of Oconee that draws the majority of the CRAPPIE MASTERS, and if there were any of yall that preferred the lower end..

any input would be appreciated

Its quite simple... the upper end is somewhat more shallow and has much more color to the water therefore warms faster and holds temps better than say.. Richland where it stays more clear and cool with less runoff. You say you "Hated the mid lake up because of the dreaded crappie fishermen".... well don't expect much response or help from these old school or dreaded crappie fishermen on here as you call them lol. Im a long time bass fisherman myself but I grew up in a crappie boat from two generations of "Crappie Fishermen" and I'm here to tell ya.. I've seen way more dreaded BASS FISHERMEN than I will ever see crappie fishermen. I have too many times had to bite my tongue from guys blistering a rooster tail 30 yards from my rod tips only for them to then set the boat down right on top of the very spot where the fish are stacked. Just cause you paid Mr. Berry 160 bucks to enter a tournament doesn't mean your last name just became Oconee. Like you, I too have kids that would rather fish than eat as well had a bassboat that would run with the best of them and fished tournys but that never gave me anymore right to run all in someones spot. Just my two cents but as far as the lower end goes.. well its just like bass fishing.. it starts a little later on that end and is usually very clear so your jig colors need to go along with that but be prepared to catch lower numbers of fish too as the last few years hasn't been right but this year things are lookin a little better but I cant elaborate too much because I cant give up my reef numbers...ya know how it is

even when I had a go fast bass boat I was always respectful of others on the water....it one of the reasons that I opted to stay "south" or up Richland..I just didnt see a reason to try and weave in and out of a mass of boats, messing them up trying to get to a bank that a whole group were already trying to fish,,,,its because they had the same right as me I went elsewhere ,,,,,and I always , even to this day make sure to come off plane an idle in to an area, and I will even idle further if other fishermen are in the area....

as far as the fishing I was assuming that it had to be with water temps or clarity, I know stained water warms faster, but with the massive amount of crappie fishing in lick and sugar creeks and also above I-20, I just wanted to take the time to ask, because this crappie fishing has kind of snuck up and grabbed me and its kind of exciting to actually go after a fish I have never went after before

I was taught how to fish by my gran paw and how to respect others when they were already set up. That being said I am afraid it is the times we live in so many younger folks just are not as respectful as older folks. I have seen crappie as well as bass fishermen act like the own the lake and how dare I be on there water. And then you meet folks that will bend over backwards to help you out that makes realize that the jerks are few in numbers but they get all of the attention.

Give it a try the next couple weeks in rocky and sandy creeks... I think you can get in and outta there with no problems.. them Saturday mornings are the worst. Its always those few that mess it up for others and give some a bad name.. I for one hate it for those bass fishermen like myself that love to crappie fish and know how to act when we do wanna bass fish down a bank in that crappie loaded cove but are looked at as "Dang Bass Fishemen" cause of those few hot headed that do what they do. My Paw Paw probably never saw such back in the day, but boy times have changed.

I like to fish everywhere for anything with every color! Let God lead you in the right direction.

I really wasn't trying to offend anybody, especially since I use these forums to gain information from those that have far more knowledge and experience than myself ....My comment about the "dreaded crappie fishermen" was pointing more towards a mindset that seems to go along with the go fast/ hair on fire/ bass community...but after fishing Sunday on Sinclair I was shown that it wasnt just people in nice sparkly bass boats chasing green fish....the last place I fished Sunday, I stopped and set out my poles and it was about 20 minutes before I got close enuff to any of the 3 other boats in the cove to even say hello.......personally I almost always opted to search for parts of the lake that had less traffic, just seemed like it was less to deal with for all concerned.....

Again, I hope I didnt offend anyone, I was actually seeking info on the lake and why the crappie fishermen gravitated to mid lake and above, and if someone thought my comments were in poor taste I apologize